A llama park owner said his family have been left feeling frightened after brazen burglars broke into his park leaving the graffiti tag ‘Bev Gang’.

Bobby Schuck, who owns and lives at The Llama Park in Wych Cross, Forest Row, near East Grinstead, is now warning people to ‘keep their eyes and ears open’.

Bobby Schuck next to the Bev Gang graffiti tag left after the break-in. Photo by Steve Robards

Police are linking the burglary, which is believed to have happened between 6.30pm on Friday, January 4, and 8.25am on Saturday, January 5, to a burglary in Hammingden Lane, Highbrook, near Ardingly, on December 29, where the same graffiti tag was left.

Bobby said: “We were burgled in the early hours – we don’t know how many people were involved but there must have been several people. They were quite brazen and must have made a lot of noise – they were wearing masks and gloves.

“They tried to get in through the main entrance, but they couldn’t so they broke the exterior glazing and then attacked a second door in a similar manner before gaining entrance through a third door into the gift shop.

Bobby next to the damage left at The Llama Park in Wych Cross. Photo by Steve Robards

“They stole an iPhone, the till, dismantled and damaged the internet server, and saw the safe and stole that. In addition they broke into four of our storage sheds and stole a chainsaw and strimmer.”

Bobby said other businesses in the area had also been targeted. “We are understand that we are the third property,” he said.

“Naturally all the businesses that have been burgled have been feeling very vulnerable – staff are frightened – my family who live here are frightened and neighbours who I have spoken to are frightened.”

Bobby said he has been in touch with several businesses in the area to try and form a crimebuster community group.

“We need to gather any information that we can about these people so that we can find someone who knows them,” he said.

“We hope they get caught soon because they are a nuisance but when you take into account what they have stolen and the damage that they have made – it is several thousands of pounds.

“It might be your neighbour or somebody in the pub – it might be someone at your college or school – keep your eyes and ears open.”

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “Police received a report of a break-in and graffiti being discovered at The Llama Park in Wych Cross, Forest Row which is believed to have occurred between 6.30pm on Friday (January 4), and 8.25am on Saturday (January 5).

“A quantity of money and IT equipment were reported as stolen. The graffiti tag is believed to be linked to another incident in Hammingden Lane, Highbrook near Ardingly on December 29, where a quad bike was also stolen.

“If anyone has any information on either of these incidents please report online, or call 101 quoting 320 of 05/01.”